Your Instagram feed can do a lot more than tell you what your friends are having for breakfast. By following the right accounts, you can curate a feed that is beautiful and inspires you to live a more fulfilling life.
That might mean following inspirational people, travel bloggers, or healthy living gurus. Whatever helps you reach your potential. From exercise to food to self-care, these hashtags and account will help you lead the life you dream of.
Find a Community
Social media isn't meant to be used in isolation. One of the greatest things about Instagram is how quickly communities can form between users with similar interests. Some accounts are designed to bring together groups of people who share common interests, like @instarunners or @body.board.
Other communities can form through hashtags alone -- no matter what your fitness or healthy living interests are, there will be specific hashtags to match!
Use hashtags on your photos to gain attention from other users, or search a hashtag to see what other people with similar fitness goals are up to. This is one of the best ways to increase your engagement with Instagram.
Many fitness and healthy living communities are incredibly friendly, and you'll soon find yourself with a host of new friends and followers. Some accounts may even feature your hashtag image on their account!
Get Fit
If you're looking to Instagram as a way to increase your fitness, these accounts will help you succeed.
Hashtags to check out:
- General fitness -- #Fitness, #Fitspiration, #FitFam, #InstaFit
- Program-specific fitness -- #BBG, #WOD, #30DayShred
- Goal-specific fitness -- #HalfMarathon, #C25K, #PersonalBest, #GirlsWhoLift
Many fitness trainers (like @tanyapoppett) share quick workouts in their posts. It's always a good idea to check the credentials of the person you follow -- experienced trainers should demonstrate good form and safe exercises.
@home.exercises is an account with great variety because it's a blend of fitness activities from multiple trainers. The account is intended for people who can't make it to the gym, so many of the moves require little or no equipment.
If you're looking for even more of a challenge, @getfitwithgiddy offers some very tough workouts. Gideon Akande is a Men's Health trainer, so his workouts are sure to make you sweat. However, he also shares photos and videos of him getting active in fun ways like breakdancing and boxing.
Get Flexible
With its picturesque poses and beautiful outfits, it's no surprise that yoga has taken over Instagram. These accounts don't just show off impossible poses, though. Instead, many users upload full flows (sped up, of course) or teach followers how to perform certain balances safely.
Hashtags to check out:
- #EveryBodyYoga
- #YogaChallenge
- #BadYogi
- #YogaEveryday
- #StopDropYoga
@rivkayoga posts a mix of flows and still shots in front of beautiful backgrounds. Many of her photos are accompanied by her thoughts and reflections, and her remixes of common poses are definitely inspiring for yoga beginners and advanced yogis.
Yoga challenges are fun ways to meet other yogis on Instagram and to revitalize your practice. But it can be hard to know where to start! That's where @igyogachallenges comes in. This account compiles multiple yoga challenges and posts them with their dates, sponsors, and the hashtag that the challenge uses. Choose one challenge (or a couple) and get started!
@amandabisk uses her account differently than most other Instagram yogis. Instead of posting videos or stills of her practice, Amanda uses Instagram Live to lead a course on most weekends (she shares the time and date in a post the day before). Amanda is a qualified yoga teacher, so her instructions are easy to follow, no matter your level of experience or where you are in the world.
Eat Healthy
Eating a well-balanced diet is key for maintaining a healthy lifestyle. But eating healthy doesn't have to mean eating nothing but chicken breast and vegetables. These Instagram accounts show the many ways that healthy foods can be beautiful, delicious, and interesting!
Hashtags to check out:
- #EatClean
- #HealthyEating
- #Instafood
- #Nutrition
- #RealFood
- #CleanEating
@thewholefooddiary is a photo food journal of meals eaten by Kezia, Jared, and their young child. The recipes for most of their images can be found on their blog, but even just looking at their creations might inspire you to clean up your eating habits.
Joe Wicks is the man behind the Instagram account @thebodycoach. His "Lean in 15" videos feature simple and easy recipes at high speed: 15 seconds or less. His Instagram is an excellent account to follow because it focuses on sustainable, long-term changes to the way you eat instead of a restrictive meal plan or crazy fad diet.
No one can eat an ideal diet all the time -- sweets and desserts still have their place! @minimalistbaker treads the line between healthy eating and tasty treats by ensuring that all of her recipes involve only 10 ingredients or less.
De-Stress
Mental health is a crucial component of any healthy lifestyle. It's easy to use social media as a way to avoid your problems. Instead, consider following accounts that help guide your mind back to healthy topics and practices.
Hashtags to check out:
- #SelfCare
- #ASMR
- #Relax
- #Mindfulness
- #Meditation
@headspace is the Instagram account for the meditation app of the same name. The account posts thought-provoking quotations and sayings as well as repetitive videos that can help your mind to relax and refocus.
Many people experience significant relaxation benefits from autonomous sensory meridian response (ASMR). Specific sounds trigger this response and can cause a tingling sensation on your skin. @asmr_.relax offers daily ASMR videos for short breaks while you're scrolling through your newsfeed.
Many artists on Instagram also provide relaxing videos to restore calm and focus to your day. Consider following Instagrammers like @annettelabedzki for paint mixing videos or @tortus for mesmerizing pottery creations.
Get Motivated
If you turn to Instagram when you don't want to work out, these hashtags and accounts may help you get out the door. Instead of providing specific exercises, they focus on inspirational stories and images.
Hashtags to check out:
- #Health
- #HealthyLiving
- #Fitspo
- #Motivation
- #Goals
Runner's World features tons of helpful tips and inspirational stories in their magazine, and their Instagram account (@runnersworldmag) is no different. From no-nonsense text posts like the above to profiles of experienced runners, this account will make you feel like tackling your next run no matter what.
@MindBodyGreen takes a holistic approach to healthy living, which makes their Instagram profile a well-rounded source of motivation. Whether you're looking for healthy recipes, reminders to unwind, or inspiration to get active , this account has it all.
@FitnessMagazine [No Longer Available] is another magazine Instagram account with tons of inspiration potential. The bright and colorful account features short workout videos, delicious and healthy food, and fun images of their staff around the world.
Focus on Health First
Instagram is an amazing resource for healthy living and can be the perfect way to get inspired, start moving, and stay motivated.
But it's important to mention that Instagram has a dark side as well, where unhealthy eating and exercise behaviors are promoted to potentially vulnerable people (such as young teenagers). Use discretion when choosing who to follow -- if they seem to promote restrictive eating or dangerous over-exercising, you might be better off following someone else.
Thankfully, there are tons of body-positive Instagram accounts that celebrate bodies of all sizes, shapes, and fitness levels. Having positive self image is definitely part of a healthy lifestyle, and accounts like @bodyposipanda, @thebigfashionguy, and @plankingforpizza can be a good antidote to messages we hear on social media about what bodies should look like.
I'm always looking for more healthy living inspiration. Which Instagram accounts do you follow? Let me know in the comments!